Also, when did he switch to LW? He played RW at Denver. He shoots right... Seems like the Pens switched him to the off-wing position? Not sure why.

And didn't we switch Neal to his off-wing? We've got a lefty on the right and a righty on the left. Does Blysma have his head on backwards? (And yes I realize Neal worked just fine on RW last year, but that was more to accomodate Kunitz's boardwork on the left side, which is no longer applicable.)

Do you really need a list of guys who shoot left but play RW or vice-versa? Ever heard of players called Jagr, Bure, Vanek, Kovalchuk?

A few years ago, the Habs had the #1 PP in the NHL with all left-handed players on their #1 PP. Can we get past the ignorance on this issue? The L-R thing has been disproved many years ago at all levels of hockey.

Also, when did he switch to LW? He played RW at Denver. He shoots right... Seems like the Pens switched him to the off-wing position? Not sure why.

And didn't we switch Neal to his off-wing? We've got a lefty on the right and a righty on the left. Does Blysma have his head on backwards? (And yes I realize Neal worked just fine on RW last year, but that was more to accomodate Kunitz's boardwork on the left side, which is no longer applicable.)

Do you really need a list of guys who shoot left but play RW or vice-versa? Ever heard of players called Jagr, Bure, Vanek, Kovalchuk?

A few years ago, the Habs had the #1 PP in the NHL with all left-handed players on their #1 PP. Can we get past the ignorance on this issue? The L-R thing has been disproved many years ago at all levels of hockey.

Right, but he still scored 40 there, so why change it? In any event, after the puck drops (actually, even before the puck drops at times), our forwards change up all the time. E.g., Bennett's sick saucer pass to Geno last night came from a rush up the right wing.

James Neal played great in Dallas on the LW. He plays great here on the RW. Switching sides is not going to make an offensive force of a player be less of a player. But guess what? Ask yourself why he switched sides in first place, if it doesn't matter at all?

(Hint, the answer is in my original post, which you probably didn't read as soon as you recognized the topic.)

But anyways, since LGP's message board posters have debunked the theory that playing wings on their natural side instead of their "off-wing" has any advantage, despite GM's talking about this, like Boston's Chiarelli for example, I guess this must be a moot point.

James Neal played great in Dallas on the LW. He plays great here on the RW. Switching sides is not going to make an offensive force of a player be less of a player. But guess what? Ask yourself why he switched sides in first place, if it doesn't matter at all?

(Hint, the answer is in my original post, which you probably didn't read as soon as you recognized the topic.)

But anyways, since LGP's message board posters have debunked the theory that playing wings on their natural side instead of their "off-wing" has any advantage, despite GM's talking about this, like Boston's Chiarelli for example, I guess this must be a moot point.

Just remember: We know better than players, coaches, and front offices.

The advantage of lefties on the right side and righties on the left side is that they can be set up for one timers at a better scoring angle. The disadvantage is that they have to use their backhands to take a puck coming along the boards from behind the offensive goal. This has been known since Europeans (who are used to playing the off wing) started coming over to the NHL. Some North American forwards can adjust to playing the off wing, some can't. I'm surprised this discussion has gone on for 3 pages.

NeddieVedder wrote:Shero and Bylsma made the decision to switch Neal to RW over that offseason based on something they saw in his initial stretch here.

That Kunitz was better and deserved to play on his comfortable side? Didn't Neal always play both sides?

Something about his release. Independent of Kunitz 'cause he was with Staal at first last year during Crosby's coma. "We studied tape of all of his Dallas goals," etc. Then again, Bylsma also said he wanted to do Kunitz-Crosby-Neal, so.